Bundesliga sides Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and Hertha Berlin as well as Premiership club Arsenal are among the teams closely watching the future of the 25-year-old.

Frings, though, had struggled to get many people interested in him at any level after being used fleetingly across the midfield and in defence.

But Bremen's decision to make him the club's creative force in midfield has seen him shine.

And a superb 2001/2002 season was enough to ensure his selection to Germany's World Cup squad where he has continued to impress.